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Iran: ITUC and ITF Demand Government Fulfill Promise to Free Osanloo, and Insist on Release of 52 Others

Iran: ITUC and ITF Demand Government Fulfill Promise to Free Osanloo, and Insist on Release of 52 Others
2 July 2010: The ITUC and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) have written to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad insisting that the authorities fulfill their promise to release imprisoned trade unionist Mansour Osanloo, and calling on them to free all the other 52 trade unionists imprisoned in the country due to their activities in defence of workers’ rights.

Evidence of Iran’s assurance to release Osanloo is contained in a report of the International Labour Organisation’s Committee on Freedom of Association, to which the ITF and ITUC have formally complained about the case. A report from the Committee states that “the (ILO) Committee welcomes the efforts by the (Iranian) Minister of Labour and Social Affairs to obtain the granting of a pardon for Mr. Osanloo. Noting further that the Head of the Judiciary has accepted the Minister’s request for such a pardon, the Committee expects that these developments will lead to Mr. Osanloo’s imminent release from prison.”

“The authorities must keep their promise to pardon and release Mansour Osanloo, and free the other 52 trade unionists who are being kept in prison in flagrant violation of fundamental rights enshrined in ILO Conventions. Only then can the government begin to redress Iran’s appalling record of violating fundamental workers’ rights,” said newly-elected ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow.

See the letter to President Ahmadinejad

See also ITF website

this article has been tagged

Human and trade union rights , Repression

For more information, please contact the ITUC Press Department on: +32 2 224 0204 or +32 476 621 018.

Photo: Free Osanloo

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The ITUC represents 175 million workers in 151 countries and territories and has 305 national affiliates.
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